Signal for casting apparatus



Patented Feb; 20, 1951' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGNAL FOR OASTIN G APPARATUS Stephen I. Griglak, Manassas, Va.

Application March 22, 1949, Serial No. 82,890

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to signals for casting apparatus, and more particularly to a signal for apparatus for casting stereotype printing plates.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved signal for a stereotype casting box which is easily visible from a position away from the box to indicate when sufficient molten type metal has been poured into the box to cover a mat and form the desired plate, and thus renders it unnecessary for the operator to look into the box and subject himself to the heat and fumes of the molten metal, which is quickly and easily adjustable for casting mats of different heights, and which can be quickly and easily ap plied to and removed from the casting box when desired, and which is simple and durable in construction, extremely economical to manufacture, and does not interfere in any way with the normal use of the plate casting box.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a stereotype plate casting box, showing a signal device illustrative of the invention operatively disposed in the box;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-section on the line 2-2 of Figurel;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the casting box illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, a signal device illustrative of the invention being indicated in broken lines;

Figure 4 is'a longitudinal medial cross-section of the signal device itself;

Figure 5 is a transverse cross-section on the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a transverse cross-section on the line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a fragmentary lower portion of the signal device showing theparts in a different operative position from that illustrated in Figure 4; and

Figure 8 is a plan view of a shaped blank for forming a housing component of the signal device.

With continued reference to the drawings, the numeral I 9 generally indicates a conventional casting box for casting stereotype printing plates. The box I comprises two face plates or side walls H and i2 of elongated, rectangular shape, two bearers l3 disposed between the plates H and [2 near the opposite longitudinal edges, re-

spectively, of the plates, a bottom wall l4 ex tending across the bottom ends of the bearers 2' I3 and disposed between the bottom edges of the sidewall plates H and I2, and a plurality of C- V clamps l engaging the plates H and l2 near the longitudinal edges thereof to clamp the plates firmly against the edges of the bearers l3 and the bottom wall 14. The bearers !3 have substantially parallel longitudinal edges so that the plates H and [2 are held in spaced-apart, substantially parallel relationship to each other. When the box is assembled pieces of heavy paper 8 and 9 are placed against the inner sides of the side wallplates l l and i2 respectively and a casting mat I6 is positioned against the inner surface of the paper covering the face plate H. After the box has been assembled with the casting mat therein ext nding from the bottom wall I4 of the box upwardly of the box for the height of the mat, the box is mounted in a frame or rack I! by means of pintles I 8 which extend outwardly from one of the face plates somewhat about the mid-length location of the latter, and are pivotally supported in the upper ends of the standards of the frame ll, the standards being respectively disposed one adjacent each of the bearers it of the box.

With the box 1!! supported in upright position in the frame 11, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and v3, molten type metal is poured from a suitable ladle I9 through the open top endof the box until it reaches a depth in the box somewhat greater than the height of the casting mat l6, During this procedure, the operator has to closely observe the level of the molten type metal in the box to be sure that the level of the type metal is brought to a position somewhat above the top of the mat, but is not brought sufiiciently above the top of the mat to waste the metal and require extensive trimming and sizing of the cast plate. After the. metal poured into the box hardens, the box is disassembled by loosening the screw clamps l5, and the cast plate and the casting mat are removed therefrom, after which the box may be reassembled with a different mat and casting process repeated.

During the time the molten metal is being poured into the box and during which the operator must closely observe the position of the top level of the molten metal, he is exposed to the heat and fumes from the molten type metal: and also finds it difiicult to accurately determine the top level of the metal near the bottom of the long, thin casting box. The indicating deviceof the present invention rendersit easy for the operator to accurately determine the top level of the metal in the box without exposing himself to the heat and fumes of the metal.

The signal device comprises, in general, a hollow housing 20 having openings at its top and bottom ends, an elongated rod 2| slidable through the housing for vertical suspension in the casting box iii, a float 22 on the bottom end of the rack, a signal ball 23 on the top end of the rod, and a marker 24 adjustably attachable to the rod lengthwise of the latter above the housing 20.

The housing 20 has a hollow, elongated, rectangular body and may be conveniently formed from a sheet metal blank, such as that designated at 25 in Figure 8. This blank comprises a rectangular center portion 26 divided by fold lines 2] into three substantially equal parts across its width. When the outer parts of this rectangular portion are folded in the same direction at right angles to the center portion, this rectangular portion of the blank provides a front wall 28 and two side walls 29 and 3B of the rectangular housing, the housing having an open side opposite the front wall 28. At the top edge of the rectangular portion 26, the center portion is extended upwardly in oppositely-tapered form to provide the extension 3 I. This extension is provided with a central aperture 32, and when bent to a per pendicular relationship to the center part of the rectangular'portion .26 in the same direction in which the side walls 29 and 30 are bent, it provides an apertured top wall 33 of the housing. One of the inside portions of the rectangular portion :26 is provided with a downwardly-projecting. rectangular extension 34 which is bent upwardly at right angles to the side portion from which it extends, and when the corresponding side portion is bent relative to the center portion to provide one of the side walls 29 or 39 of the housing, this extension 34 provides a triangular bottom wall .35 provided at the mid-length location of its hypotenuse with a semi-circular notch 38 which registers with the aperture 32 in the top wall 33. The center part of the rectangular portion 25 of the blank is extended downwardly below the bottom edge of the rectangular portion, as indicated at .31 in Figure 8, and is provided at its bottom end with a tapered extension 39 provided with an elongated notch 40. When the extension .39 is bent upwardly at right angles to the center part of the rectangular portion v2E5 of the blank in the same direction in which the side parts of the rectangular portion are bent, it provides a notched tongue 41 supported below the bottom wall 35 of the housing by the downward extension of the housing front wall .28, as is clearly illustrated in Figure 4, the notch 40 in the tongue 4| being opposed to the semi-circular notch 36 in the housing bottom wall 35.

The rod 2! is substantially straight and of a size to slide freely through the aperture 32 and the notches 36 and 40, and has a length somewhat less than the length of the casting box H].

The float 22 on the bottom end of the rod is preferably a hollow sphere or ball formed of a metal or metal alloy having a melting temperature materially higher than the melting temperature of the type metal used in the casting box,

as this float floats on top of the molten type metal to raise the rod 21 when the top level of the type metal reaches a predetermined height in the casting box.

The signal ball 23 mounted on the top endof the rod 2! may be of any suitable material, such as wood, and is preferably brightly colored so that it is easy to see, and any movement thereof will be immediately apparent to the person operating the casting box.

The marker 24 is preferably a spherical body of some suitable, slightly resilient material, such as wood, hard rubber, synthetic resin plastics, or metal, and is provided with a semi-circular slot 42 extending substantially half-way therethrough and of a width to tightly receive the rod 2| therein.

A leaf spring 43 is secured to the housing 20 and overlies one of the housing side walls in spaced relationship to the latter, so that the distance between this spring and the opposite side wall of the housing is slightly greater than the distance between the inner surface of the filler 44 positioned above the mat I6 and the inner surface of the opposite side plate 12 of the box. In the arrangement illustrated, the housing, with the rod 2i slidably mounted therein, is inserted in the box with the side wall 30 of the housing bearing against the inner surface of the side wall plate l2 and the spring bearing against the inner surface of the filler 44, so that the housing :is frictionally held in adjusted position in the box. The rod 2| is then vertically aligned and is raised to a position at which the float 22 .is near the upper edge of the mat 16, a position of the float approximately two inches above the upper edge of the mat being preferable. The marker 24 is then placed on the rod 2] in position to rest on the top wall 33 of the housing and support the rod in this position of vertical adjustment.

With the signal device in this position, as soon as the top level of the molten type metal contacts the float 22, the signal ball 23 will be raised indicating to the opera-tor that sufficient type metal has been poured into the box.

Below the housing 20 the rod is provided with an offset formation 45, and, as soon as the signal has been operated, the rod 2| is raised by the ball 23 until the offset formation 45 passes through the notch .40 in tongue M. The rod is then turned so that the offset will rest on the top surface of the tongue and support the float 22 above the top level of the molten metal to prevent the float from adhering to the type metal when the latter hardens.

When the casting box H3 is disassembled to remove the plates therefrom, the signal device will be removed from the box, and when the box is reassembled with a new .casting mat, the signal device may be quickly and easily installed therein in the above-indicated manner.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present' embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. A signal device for use in a stereotype casting box comprising a hollow guide housing receivable between the two sides of said box for frictional engagement thereby, said housing having an apertured top end wall and a slotted tongue .at its bottom end, an elongated rod slidable through the aperture in the top end wall of said housing and through the slot in said tongue, a float on the bottom end of said rod, a signal ball on the top end of said rod, and a marker attachable to said rod in adjusted position lengthwise of the latter above said housing to support said float in adjusted position above the bottom of the casting box for engagement by molten metal poured into said box to thereby operate said signal when the metal reaches a predetermined depth in the box, said rod having below said housing a latterly oilset portion movable through the notch in said tongue when said rod is raised and bearing upon said tongue when said rod is turned to hold said float out of engagement with the type metal in the casting box.

2. A signal device for use in a stereotype platecasting box comprising a hollow housing supportable in said box; an elongated rod slidable through said housing, a float on one end of said rod for engagement by molten type metal in the box, a visual signal element on the other end of said rod, and means attachable to said rod in REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 256,264 Amphlett Apr. 11, 1882 1,045,294 Jamison Nov. 26, 1912 1,323,812 Baruch Dec. 2, 1919 1,634,165 Williams June 28, 1927 1,893,198 Corson Jan. 3, 1933 Quinn et a1. Nov. 5, 1935 

